Crown Of Thorns
by Kaei and Tora
Summary: Dude, we have some short chapters. Oh, well.
1. Prologue

Crown Of Thorns 

Disclaimer: We do not own Tamora Pierce's characters. We are just borrowing them. Everyone else is ours. Please e-mail Kaei-Tora@excite.com if you wish to borrow them. We also don't own the song "Wash Away Those Years." Creed does. 

This fanfic was inspired by the following song. 

_She came calling _

One early morning 

She showed her crown of thorns

She whispered softly 

To tell a story 

About how she had been wronged 

As she lay lifeless 

He stole her innocence 

And this is how she carried on 

Well I guess she closed her eyes 

And just imagined everything's alright 

But she could not hide her tears 

'Cause they were sent to wash away those years 

They were sent to wash away those years 

My anger's violent 

But still I'm silent 

When tragedy strikes at home 

I know this decadence 

Is shared by millions 

Remember you're not alone 

For we have crossed many oceans 

And we labor in between 

In life there are many quotients 

And I hope I find the mean 


	2. She Came Calling

Then.

Jonah Yauni was the most prestigious man in Onua Chamtong's tribe. She had always looked up to him in awe and wondered who he would marry. She had crossed herself off the list a _long_ time ago, but, still, she couldn't help wonder... He was the handsomest man in the whole tribe. With his silky black hair and smooth features, he delighted every woman in the tribe. 

Once, Onua had had this conversation with her mother: 

_"That Jonah Yauni," her mother had said, "Must be the most _fine_-looking man in this tribe."_

_"Mother!" Onua had exclaimed, "What would Father say?"_

In that division of the K'miri, men were considered superior to women. The constant worry over what the men would say about her conduct always hung over Onua. 

Not that she let that get in the way of her fun. She galloped bareback on her family's horse--or whoever's horse was closest--almost every day. Her father never knew about this, of course. And her dog, Say, a huge gray female, loved her and took every opportunity to show it. This included much slobbering, wagging, and barking. 

She had friends, too. There was Bobo, who's real name she never knew; he was the clown of their tribe. And there was Rhia and Sarra and Hona and Koa. Hona and Koa, twin boys a year older than her, disobeyed all the tribes laws--with good nature, of course--and also disobeyed the law that said teenage boys and teenage girls were not to associate. And Rhia and Sarra were good to talk to about boys and secrets. And she was training for using her Gift. She did not have much of one, only a small one for protection mainly and some truth spells. Still, the village healer, who taught the Gifted ones, taught anyone with a meager Gift. Some were sent to The City of the Gods, a city in a far-away place known as Tortall. But Onua cared little about it. All she knew was that she could put protective spells around her family's little hut and they were safe; not even her father could do that. 

Every day was busy now that she was 14. She was a woman by the tribe's standards and every day was filled with chores and learning. She cooked most of the time, learning many recipes, and she cleaned her room and her parents' room. In her head, she thought of all the biting things she could say to her parents when they told her to clean, but she kept silent, knowing the penalty for speaking against one's parents. "Twenty lashes," she had heard Ry, Koa and Hona's father, yell one day, and soon they were brought to the middle of the circle of huts and whipped them. They had refused to cook for a lavish party he was throwing. "We're not women," they had growled. 


	3. Early Morning

Now. 

Onua Chamtong sits up in bed, sweat pouring down her face. After 10 years, she still can't shake the nightmare. She stands up and leaves the Rider barracks; she needs fresh air. She walks over to the paddock and watches the ponies frolic in the early morning air. No one else is up yet. 

Suddenly a chestnut pony turns into a human; Daine to be exact. 

"Hullo, Onua," she says, cheerfully, as a crowd of ponies circle her. Daine's pony, Cloud, brings Daine her pack and the girl changes into the clothes that she had put into the pack. 

"Hi, Daine. Have a nice run with the herd?" Onua asks. 

"Yes," Daine says, "It's like therapy: I am not so grumpy in the morning after I do this." 

Onua grins. She knows that was the truth. Daine could be a rhymes-with-rich in the morning if she didn't do something to un-grump herself. 

Onua's nightmare is almost gone now. "It's funny," she thought to herself, "After I awake, I can't remember the nightmare exactly anymore, but I know how it goes. Maybe I should tell Daine. I think she would understand, after all, she's been hurt by humans, like me, but..." 

Onua opens her mouth to tell, but she stops, after she says, "Daine..." 

"Yeah?" asks Daine. 

"Nothing," Onua sighs. 

"Okay," Daine says, doubtfully. "Something is happening to Onua, that is for certain," she thinks. 

"HELLO!" bellows a familiar voice behind them, and Onua levitates. It is Sarge. 

"WE'RE NOT RIDERS, SARGE," they both bellow back. "You can be a little quieter with us," Daine grins. 

Sarge says, "The trainees are picking their mounts, today. You two, be ready..." 

"When are we ever not ready?" Daine interrups. Onua laughs. 

"Well, these new trainees are..." 

"They're that _bad,_" Daine whines. 

"Worse," replies Sarge, "They are _lazy_ bums!" 

"You always say that," Onua counters. 

"Yeah, but this time it's true." 

Daine and Onua groan. "Great," Onua says, sarcastically. 

"Why me?" Daine asks, "I'm always the one stuck in the meadow." 

Sarge grins, and laughs evilly, "I know!" 

"Mommy and Daddy!" Daine cries, looking up, "Save me now!" 

Sarge and Onua just laugh. "Here they come," Onua points as several trainees make their way from the barracks to the paddock. 


	4. The Crown of Thorns

Wash Away Those Years

Then.

Two weeks from now was Midsummer. 

Onua had always loved the Midsummer festival because the dancers were so beautiful, in robes of light orange and yellow, dancing around the fire. That was how the festival opened of course, with the Sun Dance. Then there was food, hundreds of dishes of good things, spicy things, sour things, sweet things, all extremely delicious. Then were several more dances, where anyone could dance, not just the people who had been trained. Then came a marvelous display of magic: Fireworks shimmering in the sky. 

This lasted until about midnight, when the last part of the evenig commenced. It had been, up until last year, Onua's favorite part. A 14-year-old girl would come out and dance, slowly, and gradually faster. It was supposed to be a display of how the Horse Lords created the K'miri. Everyone loved it, excpet Onua. 

Because the girl had to wear a crown made from thorns. 

Last year, Onua had watched the dancer, a girl named Leilani, and seen tears stream down her face, and blood stream down her forehead. Before, Onua had just thought that the thorn crown and blood were just effects, but as she watched the pearly tears roll down Leilani's cheeks, she knew they weren't. 

And today, today was Choosing Day. 

On Choosing Day, the whole tribe gathered round the village healer, who announced who would be in the ritual. Onua was afraid. Her friends, Rhia and Sarra, were fourteen. They might be chosen for the ritual. 

It never occured to her to be afraid for herself. 

"Onua Chamtong shall be our final dancing girl!" boomed the village healer. Everyone erupted with cheers. It was an honor to be the dancing girl, and even her father, a strict and stoic man, enveloped her in a bear hug. 

"She shall go to Leilani to be trained." 

Onua didn't hear; all she could think about was blood mingled with tears...blood and tears... 

Later, Leilani grabbed Onua's hand, and said, "Come on." 

Onua followed her. 

"They don't tell you," Leilani said bitterly, "Honor, yeah, right. I'm so sorry, Onua, so, so sorry. I would do it again for you. You have always been my friend. But the village healer has spoken. And wasn't he one of the ones that...? A man of the Gods, and he...They don't tell you, and I can't either...And you can't run, Onua, because they always find you." 

"What are you talking about?" asked Onua, wondering if Leilani had lost her wits. 

"I'm sorry," said Leilani, and to Onua's surprise, tears began to pour down her cheeks. 

Leilani had led Onua to a small clearing in the woods. "Let me teach you the dance, Onua." 

"Leilani, what is it?" Onua asked, persistent, "Is it really that bad to wear the thorn crown?" 

"It is that bad. But the rest, the rest is worse. Now, let me teach you the dance." 

Onua watched her for a second, and began to try the complicated dance steps. After several days training, Onua had mastered the dance. Then Leilani took Onua to her house, and opened a small wooden box. Inside it was a crown of thorns. 

"Here," she said, picking it up and giving it to Onua, "Here's the crown." Leilani said "crown" in a completely disgusted way. 

Onua took it, and the thorns tore her skin. 


	5. Whispering

Wash Away Those Years

Now. 

"Daine? Can I talk to you?" Onua asks. 

"Isn't that what we're doing now?" Daine smiles wryly. 

Onua gives her a weak smile. "Alone, please/" 

"Yeah, sure," Daine says, wondering what's up. 

Onua and Daine walk over to a nearby tree and sit. "What's up?" Daine asks. 

Onua takes a deep breath, mentally debating the question of whether she ought to tell Daine or not. 

"Do you remember when you told Numair and me about what happened to you? Back in your village?" Her voice comes out no louder than a whisper. 

"Yeah, I do. It was hard," Daine says, "But I knew I could trust you. Because you and Numair were?well, I just knew I could trust you." 

"Did anyone ever tell you about me?" 

"Yes," Daine says slowly, sadly, "You were beaten by your husband." 

"That's what I told everyone, but--when I was 14, there was something else. I--" 

"Onua! Daine!" Sarge yells, "I need help with these idiots!" 

"Coming!" Daine calls, and then says to Onua, "Unless you don't--" 

"No," Onua interrupts her, "It's all right. But I would still like to talk with you later..." 

"All right," Daine says. 


End file.
